Fragile article packaged in popped corn



Aug.'25, 1953 A. R. RAUSCH FRAGILE ARTICLE PACKAGED IN YPOPPED CORN Filed Aug. 10, 1950 INVENTOR. ,d/berf, R. Rouse/7 BY Patented Aug. 25, 1953 FRAGILE ARTICLE PACKAGED IN POPPED CORN Albert R. Rausch, East Greenbush, N. Y., assig to Sterling Drug Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 10, 1950, Serial No. 178,624

3 Claims. 1

My invention relates to packages and particularly, but not exclusively, to packages containing frangible articles. Articles, such as drugs and medicines, are ordinarily contained in glass bottles and, in preparing them for shipment, they are enclosed in a larger container with shredded paper, excelsior or straw padding packed around them to provide a, shock absorbing cushion.

Shredded paper which is largely used, is baled under great pressure and considerable time is consumed in pulling the paper apart when the bale is opened. Excelsior and straw padding come in rather bulky masses and must be packed carefully around the articles. Furthermore, because of fire hazards, such materials must be stored in metal or other fireproof containers.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a package containing a frangible article which is packed in an outer'container and in which the cushioning or packing material surrounding the frangible article is an extremely light, resilient material which is cheap, in comparatively small pieces so that it. may, in many instances, be merely poured into the outer container around the frangible article, and which is fire resistant. v

The drawing is a perspective view of my package before it is sealed.

Referring to the drawingl is the outside container which may be of fiber, paperboard, wood, metal or any other suitable material; As illustrated, the container is formed of paperboard having the flaps 2 and 3 which are first infolded and the flaps I and 5 which are afterwards overfolded the flaps 2 and 3 and sealed. 6 is the frangible article, here illustrated as a glass bottle which is centrally positioned in the outer container I in spaced relation to the inner walls thereof. Surrounding the bottle 6 is a mass of popped corn 1 which I find is practically an ideal cushioning material.

A cubic foot of corn, when popped, expands to a volume of approximately 20 cubic feet and yet the weight thereof is less than the corn in its original form because of the loss of moisture content of the kernel in the popping process. The initial cost of the corn and the cost of popping it amounts to less than the cost of good shredded paper. The popped corn is extremely resilient. It is clean, dust free, and does not tend to cling to glass bottles, paper boxes, etc., which are packed therein. Furthermore, while excelsior, shredded paper and straw become strewn over the floor when the package is opened to remove 66 the contents, the popped corn merely falls back into the outside container as the bottles or boxesare removed.

Because of its light weight and large bulk considerable savings can be effected not only in 2 transportation charges but in the size of the outside containers. Shipments which are now moved by Railway Express because of their value or fragility may be sent by parcel post at a great saving and, the gross weight of shipments by air is substantially reduced.

In a recent test shipment of a gallon bottle of liquid packed in popped com a savings of fiftyeight cents in transportation charges over the cost of shipping the same packed in shredded paper was effected.

An eight ounce bottle packed in three ounces of popped corn, and a one gallon bottle packed in one pound of popped corn, using double faced corrugated shipping cartons were dropped from a height of ten feet to a concrete fioor without damaging the bottles.

Ordinarily, the popped corn alone would be used as the packing material but if desired, it may be mixed with small quantities of other materials.

What I claim is:

1. A package, comprising an outer container, and a frangible article within said outer container substantially surrounded by popped corn in firmly packed condition and holding said article in spaced relation to the inner walls of said container.

2. A package containing a frangible article, such as a bottle, and comprising an outer container, and a light weight, yielding, and absorbent material, comprising principally popped corn, closely packed around said article and holding the same in spaced relation to the inner walls of said container.

3. A package comprising a frangible container; an outer container enclosing said frangible container; and a mass of firmly packed popped corn entirely surrounding said frangible container within said outercontainer and maintaining it in spaced relation to the inner walls of said outer container.

ALBERT R. RAUSCH.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 197,433 Walter Nov. '20, 1877 466,688 Johnson Jan. 5. 1892 1,683,843 Nelson Sept. 11, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 607,042 France Mar. 22, 1926 50 Packaging-pp. -81, June 1951. 

